Since your suitcase is still at Jiyong’s; Jak convinces you to just crash at his place for the night. You’ve never felt more like a third wheel but guess you’d better get used to it. It isn’t as awkward as it could be; both he and Jak do their best to include you in everything.

As he leaves the next morning for meetings, he drops you and Jak off at your new apartment. It’s about half the size of a studio apartment; Jak tells you it’s the largest unit. Wow, okay, things are very different here. At the moment there are just mats rolled up in the corner for sleeping; there’s a couch, a TV, and what looks like covered bookshelves on each side. A coffee table that she explains is also the kitchen table, and a shelf that runs the length of the entire apartment. You move bookcase covers to discover not books or knic knacs but clothes. Jak opens the other side; “This is your side see all the cool compartments to put things?”

“Where is all your stuff?”

“I didn’t bring a whole lot; I knew how small living spaces were when I came here.”

“But I know you, you can’t not go shopping,” you eye her suspiciously.

She grins, “I have closet space at Jiyong’s.”

“I knew it!” You smack her, “Is this really big enough for both of us? Where can I put my laptop?”

“Of course it is! I totally had you in mind when I bought this place. Look,” she reaches down to the coffee table and flips a latch. The middle section pops open and she pulls out a shelf on a hinge; “Perfect for your laptop. When you’re done working, just push the shelf back with laptop and close it. This way it is hidden also.” She smiles at you, rather proud of herself.

“Sweet. Okay, what other cool storage stuff do you have here?”

She grabs your arm, “Come see!”

Later that afternoon; after you’ve unpacked and settled in, Jiyong calls to invite the two of you to go clubbing.

You look over at Jak, “You go clubbing?”

“It’s actually a lot of fun and it doesn’t matter what I wear,” she says as she winks at you.

Once at the club it’s wall to wall people but Jiyong takes Jak’s hand, who takes your hand to not lose you in the crowd. You head back to a private room. A lot of Jiyong’s nuthang friends are there, you definitely feel out of place. Jak grabs you and whispers in your ear, “They aren’t all KPOP people, they all have different jobs. In fact,” she looks over your head and points at a guy in the corner, “he does Interior Design like you. I’ll introduce you in a bit.”

Fist and chest bumps are the greeting all around. The music from the club is piped into the room so people are dancing and people are sitting on couches. The room has its own waiter, but you follow Jak’s lead and order a bottle of water. While Jiyong is hanging with his cronies, she drags you over to dance. After a couple of songs, Jiyong and a couple other guys join you. You have to admit, you haven’t been dancing in forever and you’re having a great time.

A body moves up behind you, maneuvers over to your side. As the song changes to a slow one, a hand reaches out and grabs your arm. You look over to see the ill mannered guy from dinner last night, what was his name, il something?

He leans over so you can hear him, “Dance with me.”

Not a request, more a command. Jak is wrapped in Jiyong’s arms and oblivious to the world; you won’t get any help there. It’s only one dance right? You shrug and nod okay as he reels you in.

His arms close around you and he pulls you to within an inch of his body. The heat he’s giving off is different, it feels comforting and soon you begin to relax. By the middle of the song there isn’t an inch left and little sparks are starting to ignite. He moves his head down so that you are both face to neck and his breathing quickens. Feeling his breath on your neck does something to your own pulse. Too soon song ends; he keeps a hold of you for just a minute more.

When he finally pulls back, he walks off without even looking at you. You watch as he plops himself down next to one of the female friends, draping himself around her. Jak looks over at you concerned, than turns to follow your gaze. You can see the immediate fire in her and you grab her before she heads over to confront him. Jiyong notices her body tense and looks over; he whispers something and heads to the couch.